The sun is out... why are the sports fields closed?

Published on 10 April 2025

Council have received significant feedback in recent weeks about sports fields and specifically managing closures.

It can be so disappointing when athletes of all ages wake up on Saturday morning, the suns out and they are ready for footy, cricket or other sports – only to discover that the games are off because the fields are closed.

Management of sports fields is a shared responsibility between Council and user groups. Balancing the needs of hundreds of different users, usage demands all year and limited resources alongside the unpredictability of weather events is an ongoing challenge.

With so many sporting groups and clubs requesting use of these spaces, Council must carefully manage the allocation process, balancing equity, the safety of users and longevity of the field.

The aim is to keep sports facilities and fields open as much as possible to maximise use. But sometimes, fields need to be closed for maintenance or during wet weather to minimise damage to the grounds and to eliminate safety risks.

When the weather is playing havoc, Council staff check the conditions of the sports fields in the early afternoon on weekdays. The status of each field is updated on the dedicated Sports Field Status page on Council’s website around 2pm. Sports field status is also posted to social media channels regularly.

Grounds staff do a final assessment on Friday afternoon, considering the condition of the field, its upcoming usage and the weather predicted. If the fields are open on Friday afternoon but bad weather moves in, it becomes the responsibility of the user groups to determine on game day if the ground is suitable for play.

Users must consider that if scheduled games take place on the weekend the risk of injury could be increase and playing may cause excess damage to the grounds, which could mean grounds then have to be closed for extended periods for repair work.

After a wet March, Council and the sports clubs are hoping for a few dry weeks to get the winter sports underway!